


(i wanna be with you) everywhere

by aarobron



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-26
Updated: 2018-07-26
Packaged: 2019-06-16 21:46:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15446538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aarobron/pseuds/aarobron
Summary: aaron wants to marry robert, and now he just needs to find the time to ask without any distractions.or,"I'm not- this isn't a lecture, Liv," Aaron says, throwing himself on the sofa and patting the space next to him. His sister follows, tucking her legs under herself and watching him curiously. "I want to propose to Robert."Her face lights up slowly, like she's trying to stop it but failing. First it's her eyes, sparkling with excitement, then her cheeks flushing red, and finally, she grins and throws her arms around Aaron."Finally!" She says, voice carrying through the house. Aaron's glad that he chose to do this while Robert was at work - if he wasn't, he'd know about it purely by Liv's yelling. "What's the plan?""Well," he says, taking a deep breath. He's planned it down to the very last detail (several plans, if he's being honest), and now he knows exactly what to do. "You're staying at the pub for a night, Seb is going to Diane's, and I'm going to cook us a meal -don’tlaugh - and I'm going to be romantic."





	(i wanna be with you) everywhere

**Author's Note:**

> this is based on the spoilers we've had so far, so it's not the exact storyline obviously, but this is what i'd like to see on screen!
> 
> title from [everywhere by fleetwood mac](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmyDosjjP5U)
> 
> happy reading! xo

This is it.

Aaron's going to propose.

He's been thinking about it for a while, truth be told. Since before he and Robert got back together, and for anyone else, they wouldn't even be _thinking_ about their ex, let alone...

But they're not anyone else, are they? As much as Aaron tried to deny it, he and Robert were always going to get back together. They're so many things between them, and not all of them kind, but most of all: inevitable.

Liv is the first port of call. She's been there through all of it, since they first properly stumbled into this relationship, and she knows both of them better than they know themselves.

He takes a deep breath, then another, and takes the stairs one at a time. That's another thing, he thinks, hand brushing down the metal rail. Robert built this home. _Their_ home.

"Liv?" He shouts, pausing at the bottom of the stairs. She presses a button and the vacuum in her hand dies out, silent as she stares at him. Isn't that weird enough, Liv cleaning? Still, he shakes his head and remembers what he's here for. "Can I have a word?"

Liv groans, propping herself on the arm of the sofa and holds a hand to her head. "Can you wait until I've been out of hospital a full week before you lecture me?" She asks with a sigh.

"I'm not- this isn't a lecture, Liv," Aaron says, throwing himself on the sofa and patting the space next to him. His sister follows, tucking her legs under herself and watching him curiously. "I want to propose to Robert."

Her face lights up slowly, like she's trying to stop it but failing. First it's her eyes, sparkling with excitement, then her cheeks flushing red, and finally, she grins and throws her arms around Aaron.

"Finally!" She says, voice carrying through the house. Aaron's glad that he chose to do this while Robert was at work - if he wasn't, he'd know about it purely by Liv's yelling. "What's the plan?"

"Well," he says, taking a deep breath. He's planned it down to the very last detail (several plans, if he's being honest), and now he knows exactly what to do. "You're staying at the pub for a night, Seb is going to Diane's, and I'm going to cook us a meal - _don’t_ laugh - and I'm going to be romantic."

"You?" Liv says, trembling with laughter. She's hiding her smile under her hand, but Aaron can't quite bring himself to mind too much. "Whatever you say, I suppose. When are you doing it?"

"Tonight," Aaron says proudly, glancing over to the kitchen. He's already bought the groceries ready, put a single rose in a beer bottle, and dug the candles out of the junk cupboard.

"Great," Liv beams, elbowing him in the ribs playfully. She seems just as excited, because they're going to be a _family_ : Robert and Aaron and Liv and Seb. "Best get started, then."

.

"This is good," Robert says, waving his fork wildly over the plate in front of him. It's only cottage pie - and Liv helped more than he's willing to admit - but Robert is always full of praise. "What's the occasion?"

"Does there have to be an occasion?" Aaron asks, raising his eyebrows at Robert's knowing smirk. "Maybe I just wanted to treat you."

"Alright, Mr Romantic," Robert laughs, taking a swig of his beer. He'd raised his eyebrows at the flowers and the candles when he'd come through the door, but he's settled now. Relaxed. "There's gotta be a catch."

Robert pushes his plate away from him and leans back in his seat, eyeing Aaron appreciatively. He might have put a little more effort into his outfit - if Robert's favourite shirt and tight trousers counts - but it is a special occasion, after all.

"Well, actually," Aaron says sheepishly. It's now or never, he decides. Time to bite the bullet, despite the way his heart is pounding. "There is a catch. I just wanted to say-"

The shrill sound of Robert's phone ringing interrupts Aaron, and he blows out a deep breath. The older man fishes his phone out of his pocket, cursing quietly, and then hangs up and drops it on the table. "Sorry," he sighs. "What were you saying?"

Aaron curls his fingers into fists to stop his hands from shaking, rehearsing his speech in his head. "I just-" He starts, but Robert's phone starts vibrating across the table, screaming out his ringtone again.

"God, it's Vic," Robert huffs, picking up the phone. He glances at the screen and then back at Aaron, an apologetic look on his face. "If I don't take it, she won't stop calling."

Biting his lip, Aaron nods. Better to get it out of the way, isn't it? Then Aaron can _finally_ do what exactly he planned – proposing.

Robert picks up the phone with a regretful, slightly thankful smile. His face is a journey: he looks exasperated at first, tinged with fondness, and then his eyes and mouth both widen, into three perfect ‘o’s. And then finally, finally, before he hangs up the phone, his entire face drops, shock and devastation written all over it.

“What’s going on?” Aaron asks, gently nudging Robert’s leg with his foot. He knows that look, knows that something isn’t right and his heart starts pounding in his chest, but the older man stays silent. “ _Robert_.”

“It’s-“ Robert starts, then cuts himself off, taking a deep breath. “Lachlan had Rebecca. He kidnapped her, and she’s… She’s hurt, Aaron. Lachlan hurt her.” 

There’s guilt in Robert’s expression, sparkling in his eyes and hiding behind the slant of his mouth. It stays even as he pushes his chair away from the table and grabs his jacket, even as he watches Aaron join him, grabbing both of their phones from the table.

He knows they’ll probably need to call someone. He just doesn’t want to think about who.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Aaron says, when they’re in the car and on the way to Hotten General. They’ve been here too many times, he thinks, because he knows the route by heart by now. “You couldn’t have known.” 

“I just…” Robert says quietly, then trails off. He sucks in a sharp breath when Aaron takes his hand off the steering wheel and curls it around his thigh, and shoots him a watery smile. “Thank you. For being here.” 

“Always,” Aaron says, and means it. He tucks the metaphorical little black box to the back of his mind and focuses on the here and now, focuses on his _family_.

There’s plenty of time. He and Robert have forever, after all.

  


  


  


  


“So,” Liv says, lowering her voice to a volume she never usually adopts. Robert’s upstairs, though, trying to get a teething Set off for a nap. “When are you going to try again?” 

Obviously, she’d heard about the last disastrous attempt. Rebecca was fine, a little dehydrated and very confused, but all that matters is that Seb has his mum, still. Aaron knows that that was exactly what Robert’s worried about. 

“Today,” he says uncertainly. Only uncertain because he can’t help thinking that the universe it out to get him. It feels a little like divine intervention, telling him that he shouldn’t propose to Robert.

But _fuck_ divine intervention. He’s going to marry the man he loves, anyone else be damned. 

“How you gonna do it?” Liv asks, resting her elbows on the dining table and looking at him expectantly. She reminds him so much of a teacher, like that, that he actually shudders, and leans away from her stare. 

“I was gonna take him on a picnic,” he says, glaring at his sister when she can’t quite hide her smile. It’s not a fond smile, either – he wouldn’t mind that – but teasing. “You’ll look after Seb for a couple of hours, yeah?” 

“Of course,” she says. She’s pleased, even though she’s trying to mask it. She’s bonded with the baby recently, especially now he’s got a personality and a gummy grin, so Aaron knows Robert won’t mind. Quite the opposite, probably. “Hope you’re ready!” 

He hears Robert’s footsteps on the stairs at the same time Liv shoots him a cheeky grin, disappearing past Robert up to her room. Nervousness takes over, all of a sudden, and Aaron wipes his sweaty palms on his jeans and takes a deep breath.

“I swear,” Robert grumbles, looking flushed and sweaty, stressed. He pauses on his way to the kitchen to give Aaron a deep, wet kiss, taking advantage of the fact they’ve got a free room, but then he carries on, filling up a glass of water and swigging it over the sink. “That amber necklace Priya suggested has done _nothing_. I’ve half a mind to sue for false advertising.” 

Robert walks past again, goes to throw himself on the sofa, but Aaron catches his wrist and pulls him backwards. “No chance,” Aaron says with a smirk, taking in the questioning raise of Robert’s eyebrows. “We’re going out.” 

“I assume you’ve got something planned, then,” Robert says with a sigh, wiping his wrist across his forehead. “And I’m telling you now, it better include a cold beer.” 

“You’ll just have to wait and see, won’t you?” Aaron asks, shoving his phone, keys and wallet into his pockets, checking the room in case he’s forgotten anything. He’d already packed the car; a crate of beer, a picnic blanket for when Robert inevitably complains about the grass, and an actual wicker basket of food is waiting for them in the boot. “Liv said she’d look after Seb for a couple of hours.” 

The flustered expression on Robert’s face melts into something fond, loving. He’s loved seeing the progression between Liv and Seb recently, his phone gallery cluttered with pictures of the both of them playing. It’s everything he’d ever wished for and everything he thought he’d never get, he admitted to Aaron one night. 

“Best get going then, hadn’t we?” Robert says, a playful smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. He tilts forward and brushes a kiss against Aaron’s lips, once, twice, and then a third time, and pulls back. “Can’t let your plans go to waste.” 

.

Robert takes a swig of his beer, mouth red and wet. His lips are a little swollen from the kissing, skin tanning a golden kind of colour, and it hits Aaron in that moment: 

_I’m going to marry you, properly this time._

“It’s not cold,” he says, knocking his ring against the bottle cradled between his thighs as he reaches for another mini pork pie. “But you make up the lost points on the food.” 

“Figured you needed a break,” Aaron says with a coy shrug, peering at the older man from beneath his lashes. He reaches across and takes Robert’s hand, smoothing his thumb across his knuckles. “You’ve been stressed recently.” 

“Almost dying will do that to you,” Robert snorts through a stuffed mouth, laughing at his own joke. He’s finally stopped blaming himself for the gas leak – for not seeing what Lachlan had done. It’s nice to see. “Thank you.”

Aaron frowns through a mouthful of food, watching their joined hands as Robert’s fingers stroke a gentle pattern on his palm. “What for?” He asks, once he’s finally swallowed.

“For being here. For being _you_ ,” Robert says. He makes it sound like it’s obvious, like it’s that simple, and then grins, a delightful bright thing that makes his entire face shine. “I love you.” 

“I love you too,” Aaron says, laughing a little self consciously. He rubs his free hand across the back of his neck, dipping his gaze. “That’s why we’re here, actually.” 

“What are you on about?” Robert says. There’s a furrow between his brows, a sure sign of his confusion, but it’s easy – like he doesn’t really mind. Aaron knows that he likes surprises.

But then a crack of thunder booms across the field from above, heavens opening at the same time. It’s _pouring_ , soaking Aaron to the skin within seconds.

“Fuck!” He cries, shoving all the food back into the basket as fast as he can. Robert’s on his knees, helping as much as he can whilst trying to fold the sopping blanket, cursing under his breath. 

“Come on!” Robert shouts over the rain, holding a hand out to pull Aaron to his feet. He half drags him over to the cricket pavilion, shutting the door behind them and throwing the basket and food to the floor. 

He turns around and grins, shaking the water out of his hair like a dog. “So,” he says. His voice is low, suggestive, and he takes half a step towards Aaron as his eyes darken. “Remember what happened the last time we were in here?” 

The sound of the rain pounding against the wooden walls of the pavilion mixes with the pounding of Aaron’s heart. He tilts his chin up and meets Robert’s eyes – defiance and a little bit of fight. “Maybe you should remind me,” he murmurs, feeling Robert breathe out harshly against his cheek.

They kiss; Aaron doesn’t know who moves first, but it’s all tongues and teeth, wet and hot and messy. He fists his hands in Robert’s hair and drags him impossibly closer, feeling the older man tighten his grip in response.

By the time Aaron comes up for air, he’s forgotten all about proposals.

  


  


  


  


Right. Aaron’s actually going to do it this time.

He had pinky promised Liv, who’d threatened to break his finger if he didn’t, and he _knows_ his sister, and that sounds painful. So he’s doing it, and nothing is going to ruin it. 

Robert has already left by the time Aaron manages to drag himself out of bed, so he takes his time getting ready. He has a long, hot shower and trims his beard, then styles his hair carefully – not too much gel, because Robert doesn’t like that – and picks out his favourite shirt.

Liv grins at him when he comes downstairs. She looks excited, cheeks flushed and eyes bright, and she almost knocks him over when she rushes to him and crushes him in a hug. 

“I- Sorry,” she babbles, pulling back and then immediately hugging him again. “I’m just so happy for you. For both of you.” 

Aaron laughs, stroking a hand down her ponytail. Truthfully, he’s _ecstatic_ , so he doesn’t mind all that much. He can’t stop thinking about it; about wedding suits and songs and their families, watching them proudly. 

“Oh, Robert asked me to give you this,” Liv says, extracting herself from the hug and picking up an envelope from the dining table. She hands it to him with a smile. “Don’t ask me what it is, he wouldn’t tell me.” 

Frowning, Aaron tears open the envelope impatiently. There’s a note inside, just a blank piece of paper folded in half, and when he opens it Robert’s neat script reads: _meet me at the scrapyard x_ and nothing else. 

Well. If he’s got orders, he may as well obey. 

Liv’s already in front of him, holding out his wallet, keys, and phone, so he tucks them into his pockets and tugs her in for a quick hug.

“Thanks, Liv,” he says, throat thick with emotion. He presses a kiss to her hair, blinking back the tears, and then pulls away. He coughs once and looks away to the side, squeezing his little sister’s shoulder. “I’d better be off then.” 

He can feel her watching him as he goes. She stands in the doorway as he gets in his car, figure growing smaller as he drives up the road, but all he can think about is what Robert has planned. 

The older man is sitting on the steps of the portacabin when Aaron parks up, legs stretched out in front of him and elbows resting on the step above him. He looks too good for words, like that, and Aaron takes a minute to appreciate the view with a dry mouth before he gets out the car.

“What’s going on?” He asks as Robert curls his fingers around his waist and pulls him in. It doesn’t look any different, and he _knows_ he’s got the (not quite temporary) cover in today so he doesn’t have to work, so he has no idea why Robert called him here. 

“Follow me,” Robert says, leaning in for a slow kiss. He pulls back with a self-satisfied grin on his face, brushing the back of his fingers along Aaron’s cheek, and then untangles himself entirely. 

He takes certain steps towards the cabin, without a care in the world, while Aaron follows hesitantly. Honestly, knowing Robert, this could be about anything. Still, he peers through the door when Robert throws it open with his arms spread wide, and hisses out a breath through gritted teeth.

Flowers.

Candles.

Pictures. 

All of it, everywhere, is a massive neon sign towards _romantic_ , and Aaron knows exactly what this is. It’s lit up like a landing strip, pointing exactly towards: **proposal**.

And Aaron’s sure as hell not going to be upstaged.

“No chance,” he says firmly, only letting himself feel guilty at Robert’s forlorn expression for half a second. He curls his hand around the ball of the older man’s shoulder and closes the door behind them, locking it. “Get in the car.” 

Robert glances behind him as he unlocks his car, tentative little looks at Aaron. He seems a little crushed, like he’s disappointed that his romantic gesture has been rejected, but that is absolutely not the point, and Aaron’s going to show him what it is.

“I’m driving,” he says, softening his voice considerably. He catches the keys when Robert throws them and gets in, settling himself into the Porsche as he turns the engine. “It’s not bad, I promise.” 

“It feels bad,” Robert admits quietly after a too long silence. His knee is bouncing up and down, something that he only does when he’s nervous, so Aaron gently places his hand on the older man’s thigh. “Where are we going?” 

“We’re almost there,” Aaron says quietly. He hopes it’s as reassuring as he intended it to be, and maybe it is, because Robert stills and blows out a deep breath. 

He drives to the layby on autopilot. He knows exactly where it is, could get there with his eyes closed and his head spinning, because he’s spent a lot of time here.

Like during the time Gordon was about, he’d drive up here in the dead of night when he couldn’t sleep and his skin was itching for something. When he refused to give in, he’d come here and sit in his car, thinking of the last time he truly felt alive.

Like all the meetings and shopping trips and pick ups he had when he and Robert had broken up last year. He’d go out of his way and drive the longest way home purely so he could drive past this place. Sometimes, out the corner of his eye, he swore he could see that first taking place all over again.

“Here?” Robert asks as Aaron pulls in and parks the car. They sit in silence for a moment before Aaron turns to him with a crooked smile, and nudges his arm. “There’s a beer in the boot, if you want one."

“Come on,” he says, getting out of the car. He goes straight to the boot and pulls out two bottles, and when he turns around, Robert’s propped himself on the bonnet, face tipped up towards the sun. 

He hands a bottle to Robert and pulls out his keyring opener, popping the cap off of his before reaching over and opening Robert’s, too. 

“I know what you were gonna do,” Aaron admits quietly, leaning his shoulder against Robert’s. He glances down and sees his ring, glinting in the sunlight. It makes this feel all that more important. “You were gonna propose.” 

“Yeah,” Robert sighs, following the line of Aaron’s gaze down to his hands. He cradles the bottle between his thighs and tangles their fingers together. “Who told you?” 

“I guessed. Do you wanna know why?” Aaron asks, shifting so his body is angled towards Robert. He grips the older man’s hand a little tighter, thumbing over his ring, and grins bashfully. “Because I was gonna propose to you too.” 

Robert laughs, a loud undignified thing that definitely turns into a snort at one point, but he doesn’t seem to mind. Instead, the laughter fades into an easy smile, and he drops Aaron’s hand to curl a palm around his jaw. “Go on then,” he prompts, thumb tapping against Aaron’s cheek. 

“I’ve been trying to do this for days. The dinner and the picnic, do you remember?” Aaron starts, taking a deep breath. Realisation dawns in Robert’s eyes, but he doesn’t try to interrupt. “And this is my turn to propose. I didn’t really have anything planned, but I know exactly what I want to say to you.

“I love you, Robert. I love you because of who you were and who you are, and because of who you’re going to be. You’re an amazing dad to Seb – and Liv – and you’ve been there for my family even when they don’t deserve it. And I can’t even list the things you’ve done for me, because it’s been so much, but…” 

He trails off and takes another deep breath, smiling shakily at Robert’s wet eyes.

“But I can remember _every single thing_. You’ve believed in me when no one else has, not even myself. You lifted me up and you made me better, you made me finally start to like myself again. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you, and all of that… Everything I’ve just said, is why I want to marry you. 

“So will you? Will you marry me?” 

Silence fills the space between them, laboured breaths and tear stained cheeks. It’s quiet and heavy, pressing down on Aaron’s chest, but it’s not foreboding at all. It’s anticipation. He already knows the answer; he just needs–

“I thought you’d never ask,” Robert says quietly, happiness brimming in his voice. He pulls Aaron’s face closer together and kisses him, peck after peck, until he’s laughing breathlessly. “Yes, of course I’ll marry you, you idiot.” 

Aaron can’t help the relieved laugh that bubbles up his throat, and he leans in for a proper kiss. A proper, wet, toothy kiss that makes his toes curl, that sends a shiver down his spine.

This, he decides, is his. He gets to keep this, now. He gets to keep this forever. He can’t wait to see out the rest of forever, of more kids and a dog and Liv going off to uni. Of Seb starting a family, of retirement and growing old, grey and wrinkly.

And he can’t wait to do it with Robert right by his side.

**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr @ [aarobron](http://aarobron.tumblr.com/) xo


End file.
